"Just hearing this kind of will and request, you can tell something is wrong."
Standing beside the bed, his hand still being held, Shido showed little expression on his face. But he understood clearly: a detective who had accurately foreseen his own death, who had taken in a vagrant with a slow mind before dying, and had even left behind all his property—only to ask for something that sounded simple.
If that was the case, then this so-called simple request was absolutely not simple.
The other party was likely not just a detective. And the Shido now occupying this body was certainly not the original man either. Even if the original Shido had been ignorant of the truth, the current outsider understood one thing very clearly—he should not lightly involve himself in something that so obviously felt wrong. Otherwise—
"If you don't agree, I can guarantee that after I die, you won't get even a single penny of mine. Nothing here will belong to you. You will become a vagrant again—no gas lamps, no fireplace, no three meals a day, not even a bed. You'll return to your former life."
Yet Shido had no choice but to agree.
In this world, he possessed nothing. Between becoming a homeless man again and starting from scratch, or involving himself in a troublesome affair in exchange for property, Shido knew neither choice was good—but he had to choose one.
Besides, now that he was already standing here and had heard these words, he was already involved. Backing out was no longer possible.
Shido understood how to read the situation. He understood how to weigh his circumstances.
"Still… is Mr. Sparrow Hamilton's death related to the supernatural? Is it related to the voice in my head?"
He thought this silently, unable to draw any deeper conclusions. But just then, the voice in his mind spoke again:
[It is related to the supernatural. He died because of a [Relic]. This has nothing to do with you.]
The voice remained elegant and composed. Even though the amount of information was small, the murmuring tone still felt like poetry being softly recited.
"[Relic]?"
In the ancient and refined language used by the woman, this was a proper noun.
Different languages carried different densities of meaning, and in the language she used, this term contained an enormous amount of information—concepts such as sealed objects, contained items, and cursed artifacts.
Shido was grateful that he could understand this language. From the word itself, he read the meaning: a special object capable of wielding supernatural power, but extremely dangerous.
This gave Shido an increasingly grim impression of this world.
"Then… who exactly are you?"
Since the voice did not explain the term further, Shido asked inwardly. From the way it answered his questions, he could tell it was a thinking entity.
[I am you.]
The whispered reply made the hair on Shido's back stand on end.
He let out a quiet snort. He was certain this body was male—whatever the voice was, it could not be the original owner.
Watching the bedside lamp illuminate the man's tightly drawn, lifeless skin, Shido spoke aloud:
"I understand, sir."
"Shido, I have ten minutes left to live. If you have any more questions, ask them now."
The words themselves were astonishing, his tone heavy with exhaustion. Shido knew that if everything the man said was true, then the next few questions would determine whether he could survive in this world. He had to be careful.
"Your death doesn't seem… normal."
He deliberately spoke slowly, pretending to be slow-witted. This way of speaking was exhausting, but the first question concerned his own safety after the man's death. Shido had to be sure whether the cause of Mr. Hamilton's death would implicate him.
"We've never really talked about this before. I know you've been worried—but there's no need. My death may frighten you, but don't worry. It won't involve you. I still need you to complete the task three months from now, so I can guarantee that much. The one who killed me will never appear again. After all, people like us… ordinary people, aren't worth their attention."
The information gained was substantial. The man in bed had no intention of hiding things.
"Ordinary… people?"
This time, Shido genuinely hesitated.
"You don't need to know. To be honest, I don't understand it very well myself. Those Ring Sorcerers—mystics who wield the four elements of [Miracles], [Enlightenment], [Blasphemy], and [Whispers]—the Five Orthodox Churches and the Three Great Arcane Academies… This terrifying world—forget what I just said. You'll live better that way. Remember, you understand nothing."
The man emphasized this point with what little strength he had left.
Shido memorized the unfamiliar terms and nodded.
"Alright. I understand nothing."
He guessed that Ring Sorcerers were the mystics of this world, that the four elements were part of a power system, and that the Orthodox Churches and Arcane Academies were the major factions.
A mere "ordinary detective" shouldn't have known so much. Sparrow Hamilton clearly had many secrets.
But Shido did not pursue the topic. With limited time, it was better to let the man speak willingly rather than probe suspiciously.
"After you die… how am I supposed to live? I don't understand detective work. I can barely read."
Time was tight, yet he couldn't speak faster. Not only because of the act, but because he still wasn't fluent in the language. Being forced to walk while racing against time filled him with anxiety—yet he couldn't show it, which made him even more anxious.
"It's fine. What I taught you is enough. Just stay here for three months. After that, sell everything and go live in the countryside. It suits you better. You'll be able to live out your life safely there… after all, prices are lower."
He truly seemed out of strength, his words trailing off.
Shido had no memories of what he'd been taught. He tried to seek help from the voice in his head—but it did not appear.
"Is there anything else you need to tell me?"
This was Shido's third question, and one he had carefully considered.
"Remember what I told you over these three months. Remember the simple commissions I left in the memo—you can try handling them to keep the detective agency running. And… the cards in this diary."
The weakened man pointed toward the bedside. He released Shido's hand. Shido bent down and picked up the diary.
It had a brown leather cover secured with a magnetic clasp, clearly well cared for.
Shido handed it back to Mr. Hamilton, but the latter shook his head. He could barely speak anymore.
So Shido opened the diary himself and flipped through it roughly. Each page recorded consecutive dates, written on both sides. Most pages contained only a single line:
"Nothing happened today. Savings are running low."
A few pages recorded the progress of commissions taken by the agency.
When he reached the middle of the diary, the pages stopped rustling. A stiff card was夹ed between them.
Shido carefully controlled his expression.
It was a rectangular card, smaller than the palm of his hand.
When he removed it, the surface felt as though it were coated in a completely transparent layer of wax, protecting it from environmental damage. But upon closer touch, it felt more like a layer of transparent skin.
For some reason, Shido thought of human skin.
The card was thin, and under the room's lamplight, its details were visible.
What Shido assumed was the back showed abstract symbols of the sun, moon, and stars overlapping in a strange composition. What he assumed was the front depicted a woman seated sideways on a tall stool, holding the moon in her hand, her face turned so that her full features could not be seen.
Silver hair. A faint smile in profile. A long robe.
The card used only white, black, and cool tones close to those colors.
In the upper right corner of the front was the number 3. In the upper left was a small sun symbol. Between them, at the top center, was a white circle with a vertical black line inside.
Beneath the woman's image, at the bottom of the card, was a line of small text:
[When using this card, the number may be adjusted within the range of 1 to 5.]
The card was not new. Viewed from the side under the dim light, faint damage could be seen—yet it was clear the owner had taken great care to preserve it.
Shido could fully understand the text on the card, just as he could understand the man and the woman's voice.
"How strange… I can understand and read everything, but I still can't speak properly."
He thought this to himself, then asked softly:
"What is this?"
"A very valuable card. It's compatible with the standard 54-card deck we usually use. Among the four suits—Sun, Moon, Stars, and Flowers—it represents [Sun 3]. However, this card was specially issued. Its artwork is rare and highly collectible. Keep it inside the diary. Don't let it get wet, don't fold it, and don't show it to others lightly. But if you're truly desperate, go to the Birmingham Collection Hall in Tobesk City. They know its value… The Rhodes Card. The most important collection of my life."
Shido nodded, memorizing the term Rhodes Card. He understood it as a common card game in this world, and that this [Sun 3] card was similar in nature to commemorative coins or stamps.
He placed the card back into the diary. Though refined, judging from the era's craftsmanship reflected in the bedroom, this world was capable of producing such items. There was no need for excessive suspicion.
"Sir, is there anything else you wish to say?"
Shido asked again. Letting the man speak freely was better than questioning him further.
"Shido."
Mr. Hamilton grasped Shido's hand once more, looking up at the young man by the bed. His gaze softened.
"I know I was never a good person. And I'm truly sorry for dragging you into this. Three months from now, leave Tobesk City. A capital like this doesn't suit you.
But I believe that if you understand, you'll agree that pulling you out of a vagrant's life was the right choice. Your head isn't very sharp—remember this: don't trust people easily in the future. Especially don't trust those who try to get you to part with your money.
I've already contacted the Tobesk Public Cemetery and selected a grave. The corpse handlers will arrive shortly. You don't need to go with them. Stay in this house and live for three months using the survival skills I taught you.
Shido… I'm sorry.
I wish you good luck."
( End Of Chapter)